


better

by Noa



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: 100 words, Caretaking, Coma, Everyone Is Doing Their Best, Gender-Neutral My Unit | Avatar (Fire Emblem: Fates), Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Blood, Niles being Niles, Requested fic, Romance, Sick Character, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 06:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7564447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noa/pseuds/Noa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Odin gets cursed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	better

_1._

Odin coughs, which is peculiar because he never gets sick (he claims it’s because his blood burns too hot for him to catch a cold). Even as he coughs his throat raw he doesn’t seem concerned, babbling between creaky breaths that he must be allergic to the aura surrounding those bandits they fought on their way back from the village. He asks why Niles is giving him such a strange look.

Niles stands frozen in place when he takes the hand Odin had covered his mouth with, and holds it open for Odin to see blood dripping from his fingers.

 

_2._

None of the healers know what’s wrong. Right outside Odin’s chambers Niles yells at all of them until his voice gives out. When he returns to his spot by Odin’s bedside, Odin is coughing in his sleep. Niles checks the number of pillows holding his lover’s body upright and Odin briefly opens his puffy eyes. They’re disturbingly red around his pupils and Niles carefully strokes the back of his hand down Odin’s cheek. It seems to soothe him, and he falls back into slumber.

Niles watches him breathe, face tight with worry and his fists clenched so hard it hurts.

 

_3._

It’s getting worse. Strange bruises are appearing all over Odin’s body. He drifts between sleep, lucidity and an odd in-between that has him prattling deliriously. When he tries to eat soup or drink water his throat constricts in such a way that forces the fluid back out. Elise comes in to cast Healing spells every morning and Azura sings to him at night. No one knows if it’s helping, but it’s all they can do.

Niles holds Odin’s hand as he rambles about worlds that don’t exist, while the flowers Elise keeps bringing slowly form a bouquet beside Odin’s bed.

 

_4._

Niles doesn’t eat, barely sleeps until Corrin all but begs Leo to knock some sense into him. And he does, shoving a cup of herbal tea in Niles’s face, reminding him that he’s not doing Odin any favors by depriving himself of basic human needs.

“When he awakes, he’ll want you here,” Leo says. Niles sets his empty cup next to the flower-filled vase on Odin’s nightstand. He looks at Odin’s face, asleep without a hint of peace.

“And if he doesn’t?” Niles doesn’t clarify which part of Leo’s comment he’s referring to.

“He will,” Leo says resolutely. “He will.”

 

_5._

Odin’s bruises grow darker and his veins show through his skin. Niles can see it in the faces of Elise and Azura – despite their attempts to stay hopeful, they’re terrified, and so is he.

The only one still managing optimism is Corrin. They come to visit at the end of every day to tell Odin of all the things he missed. What they had for dinner, new discoveries they’ve made. Niles sounds bitter when he asks why they even bother. Corrin says they’re sure Odin can hear them.

Afterwards Niles wonders if he should try to speak to Odin too.

 

_6._

Niles paces as Nyx examines Odin. Her small hands move slowly, hovering two inches above his skin and whenever she touches him Niles bites his tongue. Corrin’s there too, shoulders tense, staring at the way Odin’s chest rises and falls.

“It appears the curse didn’t fully take to his blood.” Nyx says. Her hands hesitate above Odin’s heart. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Can you help him?” Asks Corrin.

“…Possibly,” Nyx answers after a moment of thought. “I’ll need time to prepare.”

“He doesn’t _have_ time,” Niles hisses. Corrin shoots him a concerned look.

Nyx leaves without a word.

 

_7._

“I met the loveliest girl today,” sighs Laslow. Odin is still asleep.

“Ugh, stop, you’ll _bore_ him to death,” Selena snaps. She washes Odin’s hair while Laslow files his nails. Niles stands in the corner, arms crossed, trying his best to tolerate their presence.

“What? Don’t say that, he loves hearing about my dates. Isn’t that right buddy?” Laslow squeezes Odin’s hand and Niles is one step from punching him in the face –

But then Odin opens his eyes.

“I..nigo?”

Selena and Laslow exchange a startled glance. Laslow laughs uncomfortably and clears his throat.

“S-some dreams you must be having.”

 

_8._

Niles strokes his fingers through Odin’s soap-smelling hair. He’d fallen back asleep almost immediately after waking up and Niles’s heart aches knowing it was _Laslow_ who roused him.

There is so much Niles wants to say but whenever he opens his mouth, something blocks the words. He doesn’t want to speak to Odin like this. He wants him awake, wants to see his eyes shine like they always do.

But if there’s even the slightest chance that hearing Niles’s voice will soothe him he needs to give that to him, so he spends the night whispering I-love-you’s against Odin’s knuckles.

 

_9._

“He looks better," notes Leo. He looks from Odin to Niles, who is barely keeping his eyes open. “You however, look terrible. Come here, sit.”

Niles steps over and sits down at the feet of his liege’s chair. Leo touches his shoulder.

“You’re shaking,” he says. Niles doesn’t answer.

“It’s alright,” he then continues, rubbing gently at Niles’s neck. He sounds kind. Niles squeezes his eyes shut. “He’s going to be alright now, Niles.”

When evening comes Azura finds Leo confined to his chair, Niles’s head resting in his lap as he sleeps soundly for the first time in weeks.

 

_10._

The room always feels strange after Nyx casts her spells. She doesn’t allow for anyone else to be in there with her when she works but Niles doesn’t care anymore because Odin is awake. She leaves his chambers looking exhausted, yet she sounds strong as she addresses Niles.

“He will need rest to fully recover,” she instructs. Niles nods impatiently, already looking past her into Odin’s room, almost bouncing on his feet. Nyx sighs. “Yes, you may see him.”

Niles bolts past her without a word. She straightens her shoulders, a smile hidden behind her veil as she walks away.

 

_0._

Odin isn’t sure what happened after his blood started burning and the world went dark. There were fragments of conversations he’s sure he never had and dreams he can’t fully recall but he knows Niles was there through it all, just as he is now.

Niles makes sure not an inch of Odin’s skin remains unkissed. He drinks in Odin’s bright eyes, the soft glow on his cheeks, how his voice doesn’t sound like his lungs are shredded.

And Odin lets Niles love him, lets him hold him for hours on end, lets him cry when Niles thinks he’s asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> When I first started writing I did a lot of those challenges where you wrote 100 words for 100 themes. I developed a special kind of love for them and it was really nice to return to it with this. I hope you'll like it too! (Let me know if I forgot to tag anything important.)
> 
> Have a lovely weekend <3


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